Shade-producing apparatus



Nov. 24, 1953 E, w. MARSHALL ET AL 2,660,186

SHADE-PRODUCING APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1950 III/IIII'IIIIIIII II mvsqrroas FIG.6 W

ATTORNEY portion of one of the poles.

Patented Nov. 24, 1953 2,660,186 SHADE-PRODUCING APPARATUS Edward W.Marshall and Frances V. Marshall, Weston, Mass.

Application May 2, 1950, Serial No. 159,538 1 2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for producing shade. In somelocations, as on a beach, natural shade is not available and readilytransportable means which can be easily and quickly set up to protectpersons such as bathers, for example, from the sun is desirable.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide inexpensive, lightapparatus which can be readily carried and quickly erected to protectone from direct impact of the suns actinic rays.

The illustrated apparatus comprises two poles which may be sectional andcan be supported by driving their ends into the ground or sand. Betweenthe upper ends of the poles is supported a roll on which is Wound apiece of fabric which may be a piece of cotton sheeting, canvas, or, ifgreater opacity is desired, Holland cloth. This fabric is hereinreferred to as a shade. The roll contains a torsion spring which isattached at one end to the roll and at the other to a rod extendingaxially of the roll and serving as an axis about which it turns. The rodis held from rotation by being attached to a link member at one end, thelink member being in length about half the diameter of the roll. Thelink member is pivoted at its opposite end in the upper end The oppositeend of the roll is supported by a headed stud rotatably mounted in alink member which is pivoted near the upper end of the second pole. Withthe roll thus supported at each end, the shade may be drawn out againstthe tension of the torsion spring and anchored to the ground eitheradjacent to the poles or at a distance therefrom. For example, the shademay have a tunnel in its free end in which is a stick carrying a loop ofcord through which a stake may be driven to hold the shade extended.

In transportation, the poles are to be folded parallel to the roll andhence should not be substantially longer than the roll. Hence it isdesirable to provide an extension for each pole so that when set up morehead room will be provided. Accordingly, a pole extension about half thelength of the roll is connected by a link to the lower end of each pole,the link enabling the extension to be arranged parallel to the polelorin axial alignment therewith. When the pole and its extension areabutted end to end, a sleeve sliding on the pole 'or the extension isslipped over the joint between them to form in efiect a single rigidpole. Each sleeve may have secured to it a second shorter sleeve which,after the extension is folded parallel to its pole, may be slipped overthe end of the extension to hold it in place during transportation.

W The invention will be better understood from the following descriptionwhen read in connection with the accompanying drawing and will bepointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings V Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus set upfor use Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section and partly brokenaway, of the roll and the means. for connecting it to the poles;

Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section, of the joint; between one of thepoles and its extension;

Fig. 4 is a detail view, partly in section, of one: of the poles and itsextension in set-up position Fig. 5 is a plan view, partly in sectionand partly broken away, of the roll showing the con I nections of thetorsion spring, the shade being."

omitted; and

Fig. 6 is a view showing the various members folded together and readyto be strapped up for carrying.

In the drawing, I0 is a roll carrying a shade l2. The roll may besimilar to that of a window shade having the usual torsion spring l4(Fig. 5) tending to wind the shade up. A centrifugal pawl (not shown)may be provided to hold the roll from rotation when unwinding ceases,but that is unnecessary. One end I6 of the spring I4 is connected to theroll l0 and the other end is connected to a rod 20. located centrally ofthe spring. The rod passes through a cap 2| on the end of the roll andforms the axis of the roll at that end. The projecting end of the rod 20is inserted in a sleeve 22 where it is held from rotation or withdrawalby a pin 24.

The sleeve 22 is secured to or formed on a link member 26 pivoted at 28in a kerf sawed in the upper end of a pole 30. At the other end the rollcarries a headed stud rotatably mounted in a sleeve 34 on a link member36, similar to 26 and similarly pivoted at 38 near the upper end of apole 40. The poles 30 and 40 are preferably about the length of the rollI 0 so that when folded parallel to the roll about their pivots 28 and38 (Fig. 6) they will not extend beyond the end of the roll. About threefeet is a convenient length for the roll.

It is desirable, however, to have the poles longer to provide more headroom and to allowfor the part driven into the ground. Accordingly, ashorter pole extension 42 is connected by a link 44 (Fig. 3) to the pole30, the link being pivoted at one end by a pin 46 in a kerf in the pole30 and at the other end by a pin 48 in a kerf in theextension 42. A slot50 in the link 44 for the pin 48 or for the pin 46 enables the end ofthe extension 42 to be butted against the end of the pole 30, whereupona sleeve 52 (Fig. 4) may be slipped over the joint between the pole 30and the extension 42 to hold them rigidly in axial alignment so as toform in effect a single pole. The pole 40 has a similar extension 54connected to it by a link 44 and carries a sleeve 56 similantoil. Thesleeves 5 2, 56; may be held frictionallyin operative position.

The slots 50in the links 44 allow enough endwise separation of theextensions from the poles;-

to allow the extensions to be foldedalongside of the poles, as shown inFig. 6. The sleeve 52 has secured to it a short sleeve 5 8,; may he;slipped over the extension 42 to hold it in place when folded and thesleeve 56, has a shorter sleeve 60 to be slipped over the extension 54:The whole apparatus may then be rolled upand -;se.

cured with a strap or the like for transporta- 191 In. set in p. t e appratus it may b aid, Qn he qundlt e pqlesiifl; n, ac i ht.

anglesto the roll 10, andthe extensions 42, 54, released by sliding thesleeves 5 8; 6 0 off them. The extensions 4;, 54 may then be brought.into alignment and abutting relation respectively.v to the poles 30, 40,and the sleeve 52, 5,6 slid over thgjoints to hold them rigid. The poleswith.

4 the roll, a link member pivoted to the top portion of each pole, saidlink members supporting journals for the roll and permitting the polesto be disposed parallel to the roll, each pole comprising a pointedextension linked thereto to permit disposal of the extension parallel tothe pole, and a sleeve sliding on the pole and movable over'the jointbetween the poleand theextension pipr u e a. sin le r id. p l

2. Apparatus for producing shade comprising a pair of poles adapted tobe thrust into the ground, a roll a sheet of fabric wound upon the roll,a link member pivoted to the top portion of each pole-, said links.supporting journals for the roll and; permitting the poles to bedisposed parallel to the roll, each pole having an extension linkedthereto to permit-disposal of the extension parallel to the pole, and asleeve sliding on the pole and movable over the joint between the polean d the extension'to produce a single rigid pole, each of said sleevescarrying another sleeve which, when the extension by reason of: itslinkage is turned' parallel to the pole, can be slid over the extensionto retain it in folded position.

EDWARD-W. FRANCES V. MARSHALL.

References Cited in. the file. of. this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 379,734 Smith ,Mar. 20, 1888 736,765 Morgan Aug. 18,1903.

1,296,905 Barker .Mar. 11, 1919 1,407,135 Ebbs Feb. 2 1, 19.22.

2,023,155 Turner Dec. 3, 193.5.

2,518,167 Mintz- Aug. 8, 19.50..

